{𝟒) 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐟-𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 | 𝙻𝚞𝚔𝚎 𝙲𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚗

16.

°❈°≫ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐞 ≪ °❈°

𝐀 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤, just someone who can control nature. But that had its advantages and could be a very powerful trick.

A child of Ares is seen as strong and determined, and yet the cruelest of them all when maybe down in their depths they are slowly teetering away.

There is a wicked heart in all the Gods above, and their children suffer from it.

Clarisse left the Big House as Damien spotted her walking away and made a quick goodbye to his fellow group of Satyrs to go ahead over to her and he smiled.

He tried to lighten the mood, "you, okay?" She just shook her head with a frown, "he won't...he won't talk to me...he won't try and get better why can't he just get better?" She asked and Damien frowned.

"Hey...it's gonna be okay he'll get through it." The Satyr tried to reassure her as she rose her voice, "it's easy to say that. But look at him! All you have to do is hear him and just glance for a second and he is not fine!"

Damien widened his eyes.

"My entire life I have suffered at the hands of my father! Chris was unclaimed by his own dad while Luke was the favorite! And do not dare say that he was not! HE was claimed! HE was looked after! Nobody cares about Chris! It feels like I only care about him and I can't look at him when it-when-!"

"-It breaks you too..." Damien let out as he looked at her and took her arm to get her to sit down and relax.

"Clarisse...I have seen...so many people like you...like Hayley, Sebastian, all the campers... some die...at the hands of their parents. Or as a result of being loyal to them. I vowed from...day one of becoming a protector I'd protect every single camper I could..." he explained as she just tightened her mouth and looked away.

"I vowed to never in my life befriend any of you in fear that I would have to go through heartbreak. And while I still felt grief over the ones who died...thinking about Hayley even maybe dying...it breaks my soul. And seeing you react to Chris-I have seen too many times with her for Luke."

Clarisse slightly began to turn her head to look his way, "and I know you hate Luke. I know you hate what he is doing...I know you say he is Hermes' favorite. But neither can you take the pain Luke felt... his entire life. Hermes may have 'loved' him. But...he wasn't there just like the rest of your parents."

Damien tried to stay strong as he spoke, "I see all these Gods hurt all of you...Kronos the worst of them all. He took advantage of Luke who wanted a life he never received...a life so many yearn for. Never let these Gods do this to you. Never let them break your spirits. Stay strong for Chris because he needs you."

Clarisse cried out still looking away, "for the first time...I'm afraid." Damien held her shoulder and fought back a choked sob, his eyes starting to glisten.

He couldn't cry.

Stay strong, he thought.

Stay strong...for them...all of them...

"I know you are. I know...because you are going through the most painful thing of all, fearing for someone you love. And while...it won't be easy. You need to remember that every day you fight to live, now if you really care for him you will fight for him too. No matter how much energy you must exert he has no one...but you Clarisse LaRue. Chris needs...you."